Trapeze Private Lesson and Update

This has been another pretty fabulous week for fitness for me. My flexibility is really coming along and is at a higher level than it was at the time of my first trapeze performance. I've been stretching in the morning, throughout the day, and then also at night. At my private trapeze lesson, my instructor had me doing hyper-splits! That means that one of my legs was positioned on a mat that was several inches off the ground, so I was actually splitting beyond even. My straddle split, though, is still not great. It never has been. I suppose my body isn't quite built as well for that type of flexibility. I will continue to work on it, though.

And, then finally, I really need to focus on the flexibility in my back. For the thread the needle trick in my routine, it's my back flexibility that is a hold up on that. But, my instructor showed me a way to stretch out my back (although it requires a partner). So, I'm going to have to recruit my husband for it. You actually get pretty close and personal.

Essentially the partner stands against a wall. I stand right in front of the partner and bend forward pushing my shoulder against the partner's chest/waist (depending on the height of the partner). Then, I lift my leg up into a split in the air (mimicing the trick). The partner grabs the leg in the air and pulls it up and towards him/her. The arch in the back is where the flexibility really comes into play for the stretch.

So, I didn't really have time to write about my private trapeze lesson from Tuesday. It was amazing. The progress I made in just a week and a half was incredible. I brought in my music and had an idea for my intro already, although I was hoping for some advice on it from my instructor. She gave me some great ideas regarding my first contact with the audience (coming out very hesitantly/cautiously at first). Also, she gave good suggestions regarding utilizing the entire spectrum of the audience (I was concentrating on the right side for some reason).

And, she liked my Aikido roll instead of the tumbleset roll. So, all of that was very helpful. My instructor loved my music as well as the concept of my intro. She also loved the fact that I had put so much thought into the routine. As we listened to the song, I pointed out parts in the song where I wanted to remain on track with the timing of the music.

After stretching, we discussed the plan for the session. I would attempt to run through the entire routine with the music. Then, we would work on individual tricks, and then I would attempt the entire routine to the music again.

The first run-through went better than I expected. I made it up on my own for the front pull-over (although I did the "cheating" that I used to do to make it over - but with a few more weeks of getting a better level of fitness, this will be no problem). I also made it on my own for the first time with the hip circle on the the trapeze that I'll use for the performance.

Previously, I had only been able to do it on the other bar. Granted, again, I have some work to do on it, but it is certainly within my grasp. The other tricks went pretty well, too. My amazon and sea horse tricks were much improved (I had sort of forgotten how to do them in past practices, so visualizing them really cemented what I had to do in my head. It made it much easier in person.). All the tricks under the bar were fine as well. And, then the zip drop finale trick was good. I was too low wrapping my feet, but I was able to complete the trick, and I took the full impact of the drop all on my own.

I think she and I both were impressed that I was able to make it through my routine so well the first time. One thing that I noticed was that the tricks took longer to do in actuality than they did in my head. I got behind in my music a bit and didn't hit the Iron Cross at the point in the music where I wanted. But, my instructor gave me some tips, and I think I will be able to hit it. Some things I'm going to do - mount the bar a tad bit earlier, only have 2 swings before the front pull over, when coming out of the wrapped angel skip standing on the bar but instead go up and kick my feet a bit dramatically and then head straight into the Crow's Nest (this will take some additional strength, but I think I can get there). She also gave me some tips regarding the hip circle, and we talked about the positioning of my body at the end of the zip drop. Then, I worked on the opening front pullover/hip circle sequence, the thread the needle, did the new back stretch and then the thread the needle again, the fall back angel, and the zip drop. After doing the back stretch, my thread the needle got pretty cool. She also recommended experimenting with pushing the ropes out to emphasize my split. I did that, and I'll have to experiment with it more. She showed me how to get more drama out of the fallback angel, and I definitely did - although it tinged my back a bit (although nothing serious). I'll have to be careful of that in the future. Also, she showed me a way to do my arms for the tricks in the angel sequence - running them along my body and then straight down dramatically. Then, we worked on the zip drop, and she showed me different options for my body position for the very end when the ropes are un-twisting.

After all that, I ran through the entire routine again. I made it through everything to the very end, but I ran out of gas on the zip drop and didn't make it anywhere near high enough. So, I wound up sliding down the ropes with my hands (although it didn't tear them up too bad as I would have expected) into a straddle back balance. So, I didn't quite complete the entire routine that second time, but I was exceptionally pleased with everything I accomplished during the lesson. It was miles and miles ahead of where I had been during the last class.

I can't wait until tomorrow night's trapeze class. Granted, I won't get as much one-on-one attention, but I should be able to work my routine at least once and then work some of my tricks on my own. I need to work coming out of the wrapped angel. I need to be able to come out of the wrap smoothly. Right now I'm sort of fumbling to get my feet/legs unwrapped. That makes me use up my upper body strength while I'm getting unwrapped, which requires the resting before going into Crow's Nest. But, if I can unwrap smoothly, then I won't waste my strength there, so I'll have it to be able to go straight into the Crow's Nest. Also, I need to work on my seahorse.

It's still a bit of a struggle pulling/wrapping up. But, again, extra upper body strength will help with that, too. So, there's a lot I can work on my own. My instructor said that she felt comfortable with me working all my tricks on my own. She felt like I wouldn't fall and injure myself. So, that was a good compliment.

She also questioned me about my feelings regarding actually performing versus what I had expected. So, I talked to her a bit about that. Then, she started to say something else, but then hesitated and said let me think about this. I got the impression that maybe she was going to think about adding me with this routine to some of the regular circus shows that they have. I don't know. I could be completely wrong, but there was definitely some motivation to the conversation that she didn't reveal. So, granted, I might be thinking more into this than there really is, but I think it's possible that this routine could be good enough to put into one of there real shows. I just have to get it performance ready first, which means quite a bit more work. It's exciting to think about, though, being a trapeze star! (Ok, perhaps a bit on the dramatic side.)

Regardless, everything is coming along really well. Once the motivation inside me clicked, it's been an awesome ride. I can't wait to be back into performance ready shape!